The information you need about their bouts, appearances, upcoming events and anything derby!

Thursday, January 24, 2013

LVRG Season Opener Feb. 16th

Mark your calendars now for February 16th because the Lehigh Valley Rollergirls (LVRG) are opening up their new roller derby season in the Lehigh Valley with a Pink versus Black rematch. Get your tickets early - it’s only three weeks away and sure to be a sell out!

Helen DaRink, LVRG President

The
2013 roller derby season will be an exciting one with the newly released
revision of the WFTDA (Women’s Flat Track Derby Association) rules for the new year. Fans will be getting their first taste of the invigorating changes with
Lehigh Valley's Pink versus Black season opening intra-league bout on February 16th. Fans should
expect thrilling new twists to the normal standard game play as our strategies have had
to adjust to the elimination of all minor penalties. We have also had to
accommodate for a faster paced one whistle jam start. If you thought you knew
derby, guess again! This season will change the way both blockers and jammers
maneuver around the track. Expect to see more backwards skating, increased
aggressiveness and more strategic play to adapt to the new rules. The
fans should expect to see a strong returning veteran roster including stealth
jammers Ginga Railed U, Betty Switch and Lauranimal. Also, returning again this
season is the LVRG blocking iron curtain including Rose Beef, Lin Diesel, Levilin' Levi,
Loogie Vuitton, Daisy Destructo, Chikki Sixx, Evol Kitty and Hell Rasin' Hussy. This is
going to be an exciting year for derby in the Lehigh Valley.

Leading the Lehigh Valley
Rollergirls this year is their President, Helen DaRink.We sat down with LVRG’s President to ask her
a few questions about the new season, and to find out about her goals for the team for the 2013
season.

1.What is your outlook for the 2013
season?

Helen
DaRink stated that her goals include “having a winning season and taking
advantage of the loop holes in the new rule set from the WFTDA!”Helen DaRink has worked closely with her Board
of Directors members and coaches to fine tune a progressive and strategic
approach to this upcoming season.There
has already been a notable increase in skill and strategy implemented in
pre-season game play.

2.How long have you been with the
league and what exactly does it mean to be President?

Helen
has been with the league since July 2007, 2013 will be her seventh season
skating with the league.

She explained that the main duty of being the President of LVRG is keeping the
business running as a non-profit organization. She is responsible for keeping
all legal paperwork up to date and filing all the taxes for the league. She
is one of nine Board of Director members, which is LVRG’s governing body.
She helps out on all of the committees and fills any vacant position. She
also attends the WFTDA conference to keep up to date on business practices
concerning roller derby.

3.How do you feel the new rule changes
are going to affect the season?Helen stated, "I think that the changes from
the WFTDA will make the bouts more exciting to watch from a fan's point of
view. The change to a single whistle start will get the jam going quicker
and will change the structure of derby play in many ways. The removal
of minor penalties will also improve the flow of the game."

4.We all know that there is more to you than
just derby, what else can you tell your fans about your life outside of roller
derby?

“I
am a mother of four, three boys and one girl in that order! I have been
married for 18 years to an ultra-runner. I was in the US Army for eight
years. Lastly, I currently work as a mainframe programmer for a world-class
battery manufacturer.”

LVRG is proud to have Helen DaRink as our President and we
look forward to an exciting 2013 season.

Think you are up for the challenge
and want to become a Rollergirl? Find out more information by contacting us at join@lehighvalleyrollergirls.com to attend our
Fresh Meat Orientation. Fresh Meat Orientation is on February 28, 2013.

We are also looking for some new
officials. Skating Refs, Non-Skating Officials,
Volunteers, we need them all! You can get more information about
officiating by contacting us.

About Me

My name is Rose Beef, head coach of the Lehigh Valley Rollergirls.
Created for the skaters by the skaters, the Lehigh Valley Rollergirls are dedicated to providing an opportunity for women athletes to achieve their maximum potential, both athletically and intellectually through the sport of roller derby. Through intensive training, competitive activities and community involvement, the Lehigh Valley Rollergirls strive to embody specific core values including hard work, motivation, perseverance, respect for cultural diversity and continuous personal development. Our members are proud to be positive role models for young people by displaying a sense of good sportsmanship, personal integrity and ethical conduct and look forward to continued growth regionally and nationally.